Martin Lewis has urged British drivers to make one check that is expected to affect more than 2 million people this year. The Money Saving Expert issued a warning about a section of the driving licence that many people might miss, urging them to check before it’s too late. “Get your driving licence out, and check section 4b,” he warned.
“While your driving licence itself is valid for many decades, the photo licence that you get is only valid for 10 years,” he added. “And 2.7 million of them are expiring this year.” Lewis took to social media to explain how drivers with a specific Section 4B licence will need to renew their photo licence. The 4B Section includes your photo licence’s expiry date.
Section 4B is the best way to check if yours is going to run out soon, as a driver’s licence is only valid for 10 years.
If you miss the expiry date and are found to be driving with an invalid licence, then you could be issued with a £1,000 fine. It is relatively easy to renew it; it’s just about knowing when you need to do that.
“Ultimately, if you’re driving with an expired licence and you get stopped by the police, if you continue to not do what they tell you, you could be fined up to a £1,000,” Lewis warned.
“But if your licence has expired, don’t panic. All you need to do is go online and renew it. It costs £14 if you do it online.
“Now I should say, you do get reminders and you should be told when your licence is due to expire. But lots of people ignore then or miss them or just don’t do it.”
He added: “So I hope this is a waste of time and yours is in date without any problems. But just in case it isn’t, have a look at the 4B on your licence.”
However, he also pointed out that the rules are different for older drivers. If you are aged 70 or above, you need to renew your licence more frequently.
“Technically, the over-70s renewal is different,” he said. “That isn’t about your photo (which needn’t be renewed every 3 years, it can be kept). It’s a medical declaration and eyesight confirmation, I believe. In practice, though, yes, it’s every three years.”
